Hello everyone, I'm an athlete who's considering joining the military after graduation. I've had a few sports-related injuries though and I'm wondering if they could potentially delay my deployment if I decided to enlist. Any thoughts or experiences related to this situation?
Your concern is entirely valid, and the answer is, it certainly could. The military is quite strict when it comes to physical fitness and health, and understandably so, given the physically demanding nature of many military roles.
If you're enlisting, you'll have to go through the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), where you'll undergo a thorough medical exam. This includes a review of your medical history. If your old injuries are fully healed without any current complications or limitations in your physical abilities, then it might not be a problem.
However, if you have an ongoing issue related to your injury, or if the injury can potentially place limitations on your physical capabilities, it could delay, limit, or even disqualify you from certain roles in the military or from military service altogether. It all comes down to the specifics of your situation and the standards of the branch you are enlisting in.
If you're still recuperating from a recent injury, you might want to hold off enlisting until you're fully healed and physically fit. If you have any doubts, it'd be a great idea to discuss your situation with a recruiter or a military medical professional who can give you accurate information based on your specifics.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.